New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KIE206’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘KIE206’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large light orange-colored flowers with dark orange-colored splotch and stripes; and flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KIE206’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KIE206’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new Impatiens cultivars with numerous largeflowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Impatienshawkeri identified as code number 99-492, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeriidentified as code number 00-326, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar KIE206 was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany inApril, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings propagatedin a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since May, 2001 hasshown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KIE206 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KIE206’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KIE206’ as a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large light orange-colored flowers with dark orange-colored        splotch and stripes; flowers positioned above and beyond the        foliage.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the female parent selection inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the female parent selection        differed in flower color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent selection inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the New GuineaImpatiens cultivar BSR-195 Salmon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.8,870. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany,plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BSR-195Salmon in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar BSR-195 Salmon.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar BSR-195 Salmon        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Impatiens. The photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘KIE206’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘KIE206’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouseand under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., nighttemperatures averaged 19° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 footcandles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in one-galloncontainers and were about 18 weeks old when the photographs and thedetailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar KIE206.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 99-492, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 00-326, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days            at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant            habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching            habit; about nine to ten lateral branches developing at the            base; dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching, that is,            removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required,            but will enhance branching.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 48 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About            1.1 cm. Internode length: About 6 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 183A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.        -   Length.—About 11.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Darker than 183A. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 183B. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: Darker than 183A; venation,            183A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 183B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers.            Freely flowering habit; usually about six to seven open            flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers            positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or            outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse            conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany. Plants begin flowering about eight to twelve            weeks after planting.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Depth:            About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: 33B to 33C.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.7 cm. Length, lateral            petals: About 2.8 cm. Length, lower petals: About 3.2 cm.            Width, banner petal: About 4 cm. Width, lateral petals:            About 3.3 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.8 cm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: Banner petal: 48C;            central splotch, 33A. Lateral and lower petals: 49A. When            opening, lower surface: 41C to 41D. Fully opened, upper            surface: Banner petal: 43D; central splotch, 33A; towards            the base, 67A to 67B. Lateral and lower petals: 43D; narrow            central stripe, 33A; towards the base, 67A to 67B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 43D; towards the center, 40C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: 185D. Color, lower surface: 185A to            185B. Spur length: About 4.4 cm. Spur diameter: At flower,            about 4 mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Spur color: 39B; towards the apex, 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 45° to 55° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 4 mm by 5 mm.            Anther color: 10C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:            59D. Style color: 59A. Ovary color: 59 A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KIE206’ asillustrated and described.